ASHEVILLE--The Asheville Tourists snapped a four game losing skid on Thursday night with a 5-3 win over the Hickory Crawdads. Asheville used a key hustle play in the sixth inning to spark a four-run rally that turned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 lead and eventual win.Trailing by two runs
ASHEVILLE--The Asheville Tourists snapped a four game losing skid on Thursday night with a 5-3 win over the Hickory Crawdads. Asheville used a key hustle play in the sixth inning to spark a four-run rally that turned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 lead and eventual win.
Trailing by two runs in the sixth, Max George stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. George hit a slow grounder to the Crawdads second baseman and exploded out of the batter's box. The ball was fielded and a good throw was made to first base; however, George's hustle put him past the bag before the ball arrived. The infield single made the score 3-2 and set up Manny Melendez to deliver the game-winning three-run double; which he did.
The Tourists took a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Colton Welker drove in Jose Gomez with a single into left. Hickory tied the game on Leody Taveras' RBI double in the bottom of the first. Jose Almonte's second inning two-run Home Run gave the home team a 3-1 lead.
Asheville's starting pitcher, Antonio Santos settled down after the early damage. Santos limited the Crawdads to just three singles over the next four innings. Matt Dennis, Reid Humphreys, and JD Hammer came in and closed the door; each pitching a flawless inning in relief.
George led Asheville with three hits and a walk. Welker, Gomez, Melendez, Joel Diaz, and Eric Toole all chipped in two hits. The Tourists pounded out 15 hits in the game; one shy of tying a season-high. Hickory managed only three base-runners over the final seven innings.
